On the Week 11 edition of Thursday Night Football, Jalen Carter did something almost unprecedented for a Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman: he played every defensive snap.
I know, it’s crazy, right? Howie Roseman practically made a career out of rolling deep on the defensive line with as many as eight linemen earning snaps in a given game, but in 2024, under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, that has changed.
The Eagles always deepen their depth chart in any given game, with 16 different players winning at least one defensive snap, and nine of those players being defensive linemen, but high profile guys like Carter, Josh Sweat, Nolan Smith and Brandon Graham all playing at least 48 percent of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps, while players like Jordan Davis, Milton Williams, Moro Ojomo, Bryce Huff and Thomas Booker all play less than 40 percent.
Discussing Carter’s impressive play in Week 11 and why he played so many snaps after the game, Nick Sirianni celebrated the Georgia DT for his hard play as he remained incredibly efficient. even with additional workload.
“He’s just a weird athlete. I really think that Jalen Carter, whatever sport he was in, he would be an important player in that sport. He is a very good athlete and capable of getting into football. He is violent when he arrives.
“There was a draw that they set up or sort of – I think it was a draw – that he traced back and played and got a big hit. [Commanders QB] Jayden Daniels,” Sirianni told reporters.
“So I just think he played more than everyone else – and you would tell me that. I know that recently he has played a lot more than the others. I don’t know the exact number of snaps, but he plays with great effort, he plays with great athletic ability, plays with great violence when he gets to the football.
“Everyone will talk about the fourth stop, but there were a couple plays he made behind the line of scrimmage that put him on fourth down on that drive, which was a huge stop for our team.
Are the Eagles playing Carter too much? Yes, there’s a reason some fans were hoping Howie Roseman would trade for a defensive tackle before the trade deadline, and it wasn’t because of the poor play of Davis, Williams, or Ojomo.
While there’s no denying that the Eagles’ defense is better when Carter is on the field, he sometimes needs a break, as even Fletcher Cox has never averaged above 81% of shots of Philadelphia at its peak.
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Eagles DC Vic Fangio explains why he’s such a big fan of Jalen Carter
Discussing how Carter has played for the Eagles so far this season during his Week 11 media session with reporters, Fangio was asked why Carter’s play has made him such an early favorite in the trenches. Naturally, it was not difficult for Fangio to find some reasonsbecause Carter is about as good as a second-year defensive tackle can be.
“Yes, he’s getting better and better every week, which for me is a good thing,” Fangio told reporters. “He plays with his hands better, uses his hands and is a better technician. And that translates into a good game thanks to his talent.
A man of few words, that’s about as gushing as Fangio got during his tenure with the Eagles. Really, it’s no wonder Carter led all Eagles defensive linemen in Week 11 because he’s truly playing at an elite level.
